Q-flex® Applicator

Update – May 2018Due to supply constraints, we have a limited number of Q-flex Applicators available. We offer two other applicators which can be used to apply Q-Flex® ear tags. Look to the Allflex Applicator or the versatile Pro Applicator. —Premier

Specs

Tips

Tag placement is critical to success! For maximum retention and the lowest risk of bleeding and infection, place ear tags in either of the two spots shown in the illustration below. The goal is about 2-3 inches from the head of the animal.

How-to: Insert Ear Tags in Cold Weather

Plastic tags (all brands) are much easier to install if they are warm. Why? As the temperature drops below freezing, plastic becomes less flexible (more stiff). Forcing the male point of a tag through the female takes many more lbs. of pressure (because the female must expand).

So if you care about your hands it’s a good idea to keep the tags above freezing in very cold weather. It takes very little to do this. One method is to simply store them while tagging in a small bucket, cardboard box or tool box with a lid alongside a sealed pop bottle full of warm water. The warm water will keep both the air and the tags warmer in the container.

Write a Review

Broke two applicator pins in the first 13 tags. Started being more careful when loading the the tags and it helped but, they still bent after ten or so tags. There are a lot better taggers out there.

Q-flex® Applicator

★★★★★

March 28, 2016

Aaron
from Iowa

Pin needs to be redesigned. If you push the male side of the tag firmly all the way to the bottom of the pin, it works, but the pin sticks inside of the shaft of the tag. If you don't push it all the way to the bottom of the pin, the pointed part of the tag's shaft is left unsupported as you squeeze the tool and is easily bent (rather than pushed straight through the animal's ear). I've had better luck with the AllFlex "Total Tagger" (competitor) on the Q-Flex tags than with this one specifically made for them.

Q-flex® Applicator

★★★★★

March 15, 2016

Selden W
from New York

Hard to squeeze, even for a woman with very large hands. Cheaply made -- one plastic handle broke in half in one season of use. Wish there were a better alternative... this product is unworthy of Premier.

Q-flex® Applicator

★★★★★

March 4, 2016

Frank R
from Texas

I do not find this to be a good applicator. When the male side of the tag is slid over the pin, It will not stay on. It slips off. While attempting to secure the animal to be tagged, if the applicator is turned over the tag falls off.

Q-flex® Applicator

★★★★★

February 24, 2016

Sarah H
from New York

I have been using it to tag week old kids and lambs. I have used it about 30 times at the point of this review. It has worked fine. No Tagging problems. The only complaint I can think of is: that you have to squeeze really hard. I've grown accustomed to that now and automatically give it extra good squeeze upon application.

About Conductivity

Conductivity measures the amount of electrical current a material can carry. The opposite measure is known as resistance.

Many of Premier’s nets feature a green and white superconductor that has both stainless steel and tinned copper filaments for optimal conductivity. These “premium” nets are 10 times more conductive (38 ohms per 1000') than our “basic” nets. This enables the electric pulse to travel much farther and be less affected by weed contact.

We do not recommended the basic nets listed below for fences exceeding 500 ft in length:

Customers who are unhappy with netting are often those who’ve chosen one of these or their farmstore equivalents. Why do we offer them? Because they are similar in design and conductivity (380 ohms) to nets from our competitors—and comparisons make decisions easier.

Types of Line Posts

Line posts are built into the net. Three options are available.*

Single Spike (SS)The best choice, unless your soils are always soft or very hard.

Double Spike (DS)Posts allow you to push in the spikes with your foot. When soil is hard or rocky, double spikes are more difficult to install and remove.

Drivable Posts (DP)Allows use of a mallet or dead blow hammer for installing posts in dry, hard or rocky soil. Features a “spike stop” for extra support and internal fiberglass ribs for added strength.

Tip: To insert a line post into frozen or hard soil, use a power tool to drill pilot holes.

* Not all fences have all line post options.

About Positive/Negative (Pos/Neg) Nets

Is your area dry?

Conventional electrified fence systems rely on soil moisture to be effective. However, not all areas have the required moisture.

To overcome this, Pos/Neg nets* are wired to allow the use of every other horizontal strand as an extension of the ground terminal. Because half the strands are connected to the ground terminal or ground rod, reliance on soil moisture is reduced. A PowerLink must be purchased separately to make the secondary ground connection.

How it works…

In order to receive a shock, the animal must touch both a positive (hot) and negative (grounded) strand at the same time. This will deliver more pain to the animal than an all hot net (Pos/Pos) because moisture in the soil is not required to complete the circuit.

Pos/Neg fences can be converted to Pos/Pos in moist conditions. Remember, all fences must be kept free of vegetation.

* Not all fences have Pos/Neg options.

Line Post Spacing

“Plus” nets—6'8" spacings between built-in line posts

Standard nets—10' or 12' spacings between built-in line posts

Essential Energizer Advice

Buy a larger energizer than necessary. When the fence pleases, most folks will buy more fence—and need additional output.

Shipping Zones

Dr. Dan Morrical, Ph.D.Premier 1 Supplies

Dan Morrical joined the Iowa State University staff in 1984 as Extension Sheep Specialist after completing his doctorate degree at New Mexico State University. He held the rank of Full Professor as of July 1, 1995 and retired from full-time teaching in 2017.

While at Iowa State University, Dr. Dan Morrical was responsible for educational programs in all areas of sheep production, ranging from nutrition, genetics, marketing and management. Research areas focused on applied projects in the areas of nutrition, forage utilization, genetics, out-of-season breeding and lamb survival.

Dr. Morrical has been heavily involved in providing educational resources to the sheep industry. He has authored over 30 extension fact sheets, ration balancing software programs, grazing videos and co-authored the nutrition chapter of the SID Handbook with Dr. Margaret Benson from Washington State University.

Dr. Morrical now serves as Premier’s on-staff small ruminant nutritionist and sheep production advisor. Most recently, he’s introduced a line of “GOLD FORMULA” mineral premixes under The Shepherd’s Choice® brand, aimed to maximize hoof health and immunity.